Biomedical

From discovery to manufacture, from start-up to global company, from potential to profit, it all happens in England's Northwest.

The region is a prime location for UK investment in biotechnology. We have the capacity to support the entire business life cycle of any biotechnology or pharmaceutical company. After all, the Northwest is home to Europe's largest biologics community and recognised as a member of the 'European Super League' of biotech clusters.

The Northwest boasts over 230 biomedical companies and 25,000 employees, including six multinational pharmaceutical companies (AstraZeneca, Novartis, Eli Lilly, Sanofi Aventis, Bristol Myers Squibb and Mediummune). That's why we are the largest producer of pharmaceuticals in the UK. The cluster is characterised by international strengths in the academic and clinical base, alongside a major pharmaceutical presence, particularly in manufacturing.

The sector is mainly focused between Manchester and Liverpool, along the M62/M56 corridor and into Cheshire. Along this axis, three sub-regional hubs are flourishing: Manchester city-to-Manchester airport, Liverpool centre and Speke, in south Liverpool.

Throughout the Liverpool city region, more than 80 biotech companies employ over 4,000 skilled people and generate annual turnover of around £250 million. It is the location of the new £30 million National Biomanufacturing Centre, a world class facility set to become Europe's leading biopharmaceutical design centre and a central business location.

Academic excellence is also demonstrated by our universities. The School of Biological Sciences at the University of Manchester received two five-star ratings for pre-clinical studies and biological sciences in the most recent Research Assessment Exercise (2001). The prestigious accolade makes it the only five-star biological sciences department in the country, as well as the largest.

Manchester is also home to the UK Biobank, a unique project to build the world's largest information resource for medical researchers, and the Core Technology Facility, a £25 million state-of-the-art incubation and biotech business support centre.

Further examples of the region's specialist expertise include the North West Genetics Knowledge Park (NOWGEN). This works in four key areas: genetics & healthcare, genetics & society, genetics & knowledge and genetics & enterprise. In addition, scientists from across the world explore the frontiers of medicine at the 400-acre Alderley Park in Cheshire, AstraZeneca's largest global R&D facility.